Foldable and portable aircraft shelter



Jan. 22, 1957 M. E. TANG FOLDABLE AND PORTABLE AIRCRAFT SHELTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 5, 1953 ML/Qv/LLE E I i/v6,

INVENTOR. I

Jan. 22, 1957 M. E. TANG FOLDABLE AND PORTABLE AIRCRAFT SHELTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 1953 .MUEV/LLE E f r/vs,

INVENTOR.

TTOQIVE).

FQLDABLE AND PORTABLE AmCRAFT SHELTER Murville E. Tang, Los Angeles, Calif. Application January 5, 1953, Serial No. 329,585

11 Claims. ((Il. 135-1) This invention relates to foldable and portable aircraft shelters, and more particularly to a shelter structure of the character referred to which is designed preferably for use for a single airplane,'and which can be anchored to the ground, after being set up, so as to be securely held in place while in use.

Among the salient objects of the invention are:

To provide a foldable and portable aircraft shelter which is economical to manufacture, simple and convenient to set up, or to take down and fold into a compact form for transportation from place to place;

To provide such a shelter which can be anchored to the ground, or to a special foundation built therefor, by means of cables or chains, in order to be firmly held in place for use;

To provide a shelter of the character referred to which can be folded into small compass with carrier wheels, which, when thus folded for movement from one place to another, will be in good operating position for supporting and carrying one end of the pack.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of one practical embodiment of the invention, taken with the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view looking down upon a shelter structure embodying the invention, in its set up form, with an airplane indicated in light broken lines, and with a part of the covering broken away;

Figure 2 is a front view thereof, without the covering;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the frame structure, with the anchoring wires and cables, taken from a position to one side and above the structure;

Figure 4 is a view showing the main frame members folded together in a bundle, ready for movement;

Figure 5 is a rear view of the frame members folded for towing;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of the upper front ends of the frame, showing a pivoted short arm, normally down in full lines, but which can be moved rearwardly, or swung up and over in reversed position, end for end, as seen in the uppermost light line position.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, two A-frame members 7, 7, are shown hinged together at their upper ends, as at 8, Figs. 1 and 2, with their lower ends provided with base plates or blocks, as at 7', 7'. When set up for use, said A-frarne members 7, 7 constitute a central A support for the structure, as will be understood from Fig. l.

Pivotally connected at their lower ends, to the lower ends of said A-members 7, 7, are two forwardly, upwardly and outwardly extending arms or members, 9, 9. Said pivotal connections are indicated at 10, 11), Figs. 1 and 2. Aflixed at each of said connections is a leg which extends at an angle from the frame member 7 and is provided with a small carrier wheel, as 11, so that when said members are folded together, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, said wheels will be in position for towing said bundle.

r were I Patented Jan. 22, 1957 Two short limit chains, as 12, 12, connect said legs 10, 10', with the frame members 7, 7, Fig. 2. Said frame members 9, 9, are provided adjacent their outer ends with rigid angle members, as 13, 13, preferably made of fiat iron, to form bearing members for anchoring and cover supporting cables, as will be later described.

Pivotally connected to the two A-frame members 7, 7, adjacent their hingedly connected ends, are two forwardly extended arms or members, 14, 14, connected at their outer ends, as by a pivot pin or bolt 15, which bolt serves as a bearing support for a short arm 16, having thereon a loop member 17, attached at its ends to said arm 16, and formed into an inclined V-loop through which said pivot pin or bolt 15 passes, so that it is possible for said short arm 16 to be moved rearwardly from the position seen in full lines in Fig. 6, to the lower position shown in light broken lines, or it can be swung upwardly and over to a reversed end for end position, for a purpose to be later described. A small pulley 16' is mounted on one end of said arm 16, to bear and move on the underside of a combined cover supporting and anchoring cable 22, as shown in Fig. 6. The other end of the arm 16 has attached thereto a pair of cover engaging cables 18, 18, extended in opposite directions and aflixed at their outer ends to the upper ends of the two frame members 9, 9, as at 9, 9. Said cables 18, 18, also have as apart thereof a coiled spring section 18', to provide a certain yieldableness thereto so that it will be possible for the free end of said short arm 16 to be swung upwardly and over to the reversed position, indicated by the uppermost light broken line position in Fig. 6.

Cover supporting and tie cables or chains 19, 19, are fixedly attached to the outer ends of the two frame members 14, 14, where the latter are connected to each other, by suitable connections 19, 19', said cables or chains extending in opposite directions and being aflixed at their outer ends to the upper ends of the frame members 9, 9, as by connections 9, 9'. Guy wires 19 attached to the outer ends of the frame members 9, 9, by connections 9", 9", lead down and are ailixed to anchor eyes 20, 20, in the ground or foundation on which the structure rests.

A pair of cover engaging and tie cables or chains 21, 21, are fixed at one of their ends to and extend from the rearward ends of the two arms 14, 14, as indicated at a, a, and leading in opposite directions are alfixed to the angle members 13, 13, by connections b, b, from which connections guy wires 21, 21', lead and are affixed to the anchoring eyes 20, 20, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A central cover supporting and anchoring cable 22, before referred to, is alfixedly connected at one end thereof to the upper ends of the joined frame members 14, 14, by a connection 0 and is extended rearwardly over and seated upon the upper hinged ends of the members 7, 7, of the A-frame, and is thence continued down to the ground or foundation and atfixed to an anchor eye 23.

A tie cable or chain 25 lying near the ground is afiixed at its ends by connections a, d, to the lower ends of the legs 7, 7, adjacent the base plates 7 7 to limit spreading of the legs 77, and leading from and affixed to the lower ends of the legs 7, 7, by the connections d, d, are guy wires 25, 25, which are affixed at their outer ends to the eyes 20, 20, to hold the f t-frame against rearward movement.

After the frame structure has been set up and anchored as described, canvas or other covering material, designated C, is spread over the top of the structure, and tied to the wires or cables, as at 24, 24. With said covering extended forwardly and over cable 19, and down to cable 18, in the front of said structure, and tied to said wires or cables, it forms a shade down to the end of the short arm 16, to which it is attached. By providing the spring 7 6, thusraising the covering attached to-.saidcable-.18, out

of, the wayand giving clearance in thefront of the-structure for a plane tobe moved intoor out of said shelter.

While I have shown and described my shelter as foldable for moving purposes, andhave, therefore,- made the A-frame members and the different forwardly extended arms or members hingedly or. pivotally connected, it is evident that a supporting frame structure of the, same character could be made rigid, that is: withsaid members rigidly secured together. in the same positionaandldo not limit the invention to the details of, construction and arrangement shown for purposes of description and explanation, except as I may be limited by thehereto appended claims forming a part of this application.

I claim:

l. A shelter structure for aircraft'and the like, including an-A-frame forming the main upright support thereof, two upper arms connected attheir rearward ends to said A frame on opposite sides of the apex thereof, and extended forwardly and secured together at their forward ends, two lower arms connected at their rearward ends to said A-frame adjacent the lower end of the latter and extended forwardly and upwardly, a cover supporting and anchoring cable connected to the forward ends of said upper arms and extended rearwardly over said 'A-frame and anchored to the ground to hold said upper arms upwardly, cover supporting cables connected'to the fora ward ends of said upper arms and. extended in opposite directions and connected to the forward ends of said lower arms, guy wires leading from the outer ends of said lower arms to anchor means in the ground at the opposite outer sides of said lower arms to hold said upper arms and said lower arms in operative positions, and a cover for said,

structure, connected with said cover supporting cables.

2. A shelter structure as set forth in claim 1 and having. a short pivoted arm between the forward ends of said.

upper arms and having its forward end connected at opposite sides with cables extended in opposite directions and aflixed to the upper ends of said lower arms, said .short arm being arranged to be swung upwardly and rearwardly in reversed position to giveclearance inthe,

front of said structure.

3. A shelter structure for aircraft and the like which includes two A-frame members hingedly connected at their upper ends, whereby to be folded together, two forwardly extended upper arms pivotally connected to said A-frame on opposite sides of the apex of the latter and connected together at their forward ends, two forwardly and upwardly extended lower arms pivotally connected to the lower ends of said A-frame members, and foldable along side of said A-frame members, a cover supporting and anchoring cable leading from the forward ends of-said first two arms and extended rearwardly over the top of said A-frame members to anchoring mean on the ground in the rear of said structure, a cover supporting cable connected with the forward ends of said first two arms and extended in opposite directions and connected to the upper ends of said second two arms, guy wires leading from the outer ends of said lower arms to anchor means in the ground, and covering sheet over said structure overlying and resting upon said supporting and anchofirig cable and connected to said cover supporting cables.

4. A shelter structure as set forth in claim 3, and including a short arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends between the upper ends of said upper arms, with its forward end extended forwardly and downwardly, cover engaging cables connected to the opposite-sidesof the forward end of said short arm and extended in opposits directions and attached to the upp rends of said lower pivoted arms, said cover sheet being tied at its d front edge to said cover engaging cables, to be raised and lowered as said short arm is raised and lowered.

5. A shelter for airplanes and the like including an A-frame having side members hinged together at their upper ends to be folded together, base plates on the lower ends of said members, two upper arms pivotally connected at their rearward endsato said A-frame on opposite sides of the apex thereof and extended forwardly and separably secured together at. their outer ends to be folded along side of the A-framemembers, two lower arms pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the lower, ends of said'A-frame members and extended forwardly and upwardly, coversupporting cables lea-ding between and connected to the outer ends of said upper arms and the outer ends of said lower arms, ground engaging anchoring means at opposite sides of said structure for anchoring said structure to the ground, guy wires leading from vsaidianchoringv means .to'the forward ends of said lower arms andholdingsaid lower arms in operative positions, and. a covering. sheet over said structure, said A-frame. and said pivoted arms. being foldable together in small compass for movement from one place to another.

6. A shelter as set forth in claim 5 and in which said lower pivoted arms. have attached thereto at their connected ends, two carrier wheels held in operating positions when said A-frame members are folded together for movement.

7. A shelter as set forth in claim 5 and in which there is a short armpivoted between the upper ends of said upperrarms, and cables connected to andleading from the opposite sides of the outerend of said arm and extended to and connected, with the upper ends of said lower forwardly'and upwardly extended arms, said short arm being movable upwardly and rearwardly, and said coveringsheet being fastened at its forward edge to said last mentioned cables.

8. A foldable and portable aircraft shelter of the character shown and described and including an A-frame having side members hinged together at their upper ends and having their lower ends provided with holding means, two upper frame members pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the upper part of said A-frame on opposite sides of the apex of said A-frame and extended forwardly and connected together at their forward ends, two lower frame members pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the lower part of said A-frame and extended forwardly and upwardly and outwardly,'a cover supportingand anchoring cable attached to the forward ends of said upper frame members and extended over the top of said A-frame and connected to anchoring means rearwardly'of said shelter, cover supporting cables connected to the opposite sides of the forward ends of said upper frame members leading to and connecting with the outer end portions of said lower frame members, anchoring means in the ground at each side of the shelter spaced forwardly and outwardly from said A-frame, guy wires' attached to and leading from the outer ends of said lower frame members and connected to said last named anchoring means, a tie cable extending between and connected to the lower ends of said A-frame member, guy wires attached to the lower ends of said A-frame members leading to and connected with said last named anchoring means, a cover sheet overlying and supported intermediate its ends on said cover supporting and anchoring cable and having a front marginal portion supported on said cover supporting cables, and cover engaging cables connected to the inner ends of said upper frame members leading to and carried by the outer end portions of said lower frame members with which the rear marginal portion of said cover is connected.

9. A foldable and portable aircraft shelter as set forth in claim 8, with a short arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends between the forward ends of said upper frame members, a pair of cables attached to the outer end of said arm and leading to and connected with the forward ends of said lower frame members, each of said last named cables having an extensible coiled spring forming a part thereof, whereby said short arm and said last named cables can be swung upwardly and rearwardly.

10. A shelter of the character set forth in claim 8 in which said lower frame members, at their rearward connected ends, are provided with carrier wheels moveable into operating position to carry said recited frame members when they are collapsed and folded together for moving to another location.

11. An aircraft shelter comprising an A-frame having side members hingedly connected at their upper ends and having ground engaging elements at their lower ends, an upper pair of arms pivotally connected to the upper part of said A-frame on opposite sides of the apex thereof; said arms being connected at their outer ends, a lower pair of arms pivotally connected to the lower end portions of the side members of said A-frame, said upper and lower pairs of arms being positionable to extend upwardly at an inclination from the front side of said A-frame, a combined cover supporting and anchoring cable attached at one of its ends to the connected ends of said upper pair of arms and leading therefrom over and on the apex of said A-frame thence downward, anchoring means affixed in the ground rearward of said A-frame to which the other end of said cable is afiixed; a swinging short arm carried between the connected ends of said upper pair of arms having an inner end bearing on the underside of said cable; a pair of cover engaging cables connected to the outer end of said short arm leading to and connected with the outer end portions of said lower pair of arms; a pair of cover supporting cables connected to the outer ends of said upper pair of arms leading to and connecting with the outer end portion of said lower pair of arms; an upstanding bearing member on the outer end portion of each of said lower pair of arms; a second pair of cover engaging cables connected to the inner ends of said upper pair of arms leading to and connecting with the upper portions of said bearing members; anchoring means engaged with the ground in forwardly and laterally spaced relation to said A-frame; guy wires connected to the outer end of said lower pair of arms leading to and connected with said last named anchoring means; guy wires connected to and leading from the upper portions of said bearing members and connected with said last named anchoring means; a tie cable connected at its ends to the lower portions of the side members of said A-frame; guy wires connecting with the lower portion of said side members leading to and attached to said last named anchoring means; and a canvas cover resting on and supported by said combined cover supporting and anchoring cable and by said pair of supporting cables having a forward edge connected to said first named pair of cover engaging cables and having a rear margin connected to said second named pair of cover engaging cables.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,481,019 Luebbert Jan. 15, 1924 2,511,974 Finken et al June 20, 1950 2,520,055 Pomerance Aug. 22, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 66,839 Austria Oct. 10, 1914 

